Frank Ritter Shumway ’28

RITTER SHUMWAY died of cancer Mar. 9, 1992, at his home in Brighton (Rochester), N.Y. Ritter's grandfather founded the manufacturing firm for dental equipment and furniture that he joined in 1934. Prior to that he had spent three years as assistant pastor of the Larchmont Presbyterian Church, in the Suburbs of New York.

Then he felt that he was needed in the family business and he started with a salary of $20 a week. He became president of the Ritter Co. in 1953, and built it into Sybron Corp. in 1968, after merger with Taylor Instrument Co. He retired in 1971, but continued as honorary chairman of the board.

A graduate of Hotchkiss, at Princeton Ritter majored in English, was on the Philadelphian Society cabinet, and was a member of Cloister Inn. He then studied at University College, Oxford, receiving a master's of divinity degree in 1931.

Ritter married Hettie Beamon Lakin on Sept. 8 1930. She died in 1985. Surviving are three children, the Rev. Mary Ellen Gaylord, Frank Jr. '55, and Charles L.; 15 grandchildren; and several greatgrandchildren.

Ritter was a famous sportsman, a sailor and commodore of the Rochester Yacht Club, a figure skater and ice dancer (with partner Harlene Lee), president of the Figure Skating Assn., and was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. He was active in many business and civic activities and, in 1970, was president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He was a noted philanthropist.

He attended the 50th and 60th reunions of the Class of '28. We shall cherish our affectionate memory of a classmate described, in one newspaper account of his death, with the caption, "Farewell to a generous, gentle man."

The Class of 1928